A Delicious Thanksgiving Menu and The Dream Kitchens You Can Rent To Cook It In

For most of us, Thanksgiving is a time for tradition. But even the most beloved of traditions can do with a change now and then. We went into our archives to find some of our favorite reinterpretations of classic Thanksgiving food—actual classics, with origins that could date back to the first Thanksgiving. And how better to prepare these modern twists on historic dishes than in a gorgeous modern kitchens? We worked with our friends at Airbnb, who combed through their database to find the best kitchens to rent this Thanksgiving. And if you’re already set for Thursday, it’s never too early to start preparing for Thanksgiving 2017.

These assorted nuts are tossed with sage and rosemary and then baked low and slow, which makes them the crispiest nuts ever. They’re excellent on the Thanksgiving table because they can easily be made a few days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

It’s believed that the first Thanksgiving meals included plenty of seafood—the proximity of the ocean in New England informed much of the diet at the time. This brothy, aromatic seafood dish from chef Vivian Howard weaves steamed clams with creamed oysters and a hearty dose of greens. Crusty bread is a must for sopping up the delicious broth.

There is documentation that a group was sent out to retrieve a bird for the first Thanksgiving. Although it’s possible that they ended up with a turkey, it’s also just as likely that they came back with a goose or duck. This goose recipe is an adaptation of a Julia Child classic: the secret to the perfectly crispy skin is basting the bird with boiling water while it roasts.

The 1621 Thanksgiving celebrated the first fall harvest for the pilgrims. Onions, squash, and carrots were bountiful crops. In this recipe, Los Angeles chef Nancy Silverton bakes onions until they’re falling-apart tender, then tops them with a crispy bread crumb, sage and fennel topping.

In colonial times, corn would have likely been turned into cornmeal before being boiled into a porridge. Our modern-day version would be this comforting pudding, which combines frozen kernels with coarsely ground cornmeal to boost the flavor of the fluffy pudding.

Make ahead: The pudding can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat before serving.

Colonial settlers roasted their pumpkins over hot ashes, but we now have the convenience of excellent canned pumpkin. Here, buttery mashed potatoes get extra color and flavor from a helping of pumpkin puree.